This blog is dedicated to supporting young adult books, and their authors, that are considered controversial, have been challenged, censored, and/or banned. In an effort to defend and protect intellectual freedom, this site aims to show the value of controversial literature for teens.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott. (2005). Uglies. NY: Simon Pulse.ISBN: 978-0689865381 Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Survival, Betrayal, Secrets, ManipulationGenre: Science FictionAwards/Honors: Golden Duck, Hal Clement Award for Young Adult (2006)James Tiptree, Jr. Award Long List (2005)New York Times bestseller (Fiction, 2005)VA Readers Choice Book (2008)South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2007-2008)Texas Lone Star Book (2006-2007)ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2006)Garden State Book Award (Teen Fiction Grades 6-8, 2008)Ditmar Shortlist (Novel, 2006)Florida Teens Read (2007-2008)ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (Books That Don’t Make You Blush, 2006)Iowa Teen Award Nominee (2007-2008)Aurealis Award Finalist (YA Novel, 2005)School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2005)Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Nominee (2007)Abraham Lincoln Award Winner (2007)Prix Ado-Lisant (2009)Annotation: Tally Youngblood can't wait for her 16th birthday so she can finally have surgery to be pretty like everyone else. But then she meets Shay, who doesn't want to be a pretty and runs away. Now the authorities want Tally to find and betray Shay before they will let her become a pretty. Summary: In a future where everyone has surgery to become beautiful, Tally Youngblood is looking forward to her 16th birthday and to finally becoming a “pretty”. Then she meets Shay, also 16, who decides to stay an “ugly”. Shay ends up running away to live with other rebel uglies in a hidden encampment. Tally is disappointed to lose a friend, but remains eager to have her surgery and join her old friend Peris in New Pretty Town. However, authorities discover Tally’s connection to Shay and demand she follow her to the hidden town and betray her, and everyone else. While in the Rusty Ruins, Tally learns the truth about becoming a “pretty”, but what can she do? Evaluation: I was really excited to read this book because I had heard SO MANY good things about it, and I love Science Fiction. Perhaps because of all the hype, it didn't quite live up to my expectations; however, the premise of Tally's story is very cool. Teens will relate to the desire to be beautiful and repelled by what is really going on.